Zelenskyy nominates former secret service chief Khmara as defence minister

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially submitted the nomination of former intelligence chief Yevhen Khmara as Defence Minister, with a parliamentary vote in the Verkhovna Rada scheduled for Wednesday. Lawmakers will also vote on confirming Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

The ministerial vote follows the removal of Mychajlo Fedorov, who has since called for wartime national elections while alleging Ukraine faces a "crisis of governance" and systemic corruption. Fedorov's dismissal previously sparked public discontent and protests.

Simultaneously, newly appointed commander-in-chief Mychajlo Drapatyj has initiated structural reforms within the armed forces. Drapatyj is moving to dismantle internal patronage networks and operational inefficiencies associated with his predecessor, Oleksandr Syrskyj, as leadership changes continue across the defence sector.

Sources: Ekonomický deník, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy